Story Contest

Birthday Surprise

Birthday Surprise

View the May 2023 Nature Friend Magazine Black bear. Photo © Anthony Burkholder. One warm summer evening in September, my family was outside eating my little brother’s birthday cake. Suddenly my...

Bear Country Camping

Bear Country Camping

View the May 2023 Nature Friend Magazine Photo © Elise Weaver. One Sunday afternoon after church, Dad took my sisters and me on an overnight camping trip. We packed our backpacks with sleeping bags,...

Meeting Mrs. Nightjar

Meeting Mrs. Nightjar

View the May 2023 Nature Friend Magazine Photos © Clement Martin. Africa’s sun poured all its fury on my head, bleaching my hair whiter still. My three Ugandan friends, my two younger brothers, and...

The Belted Kingfisher

The Belted Kingfisher

View the May 2023 Nature Friend Magazine Belted Kingfisher at nest. Photos © Marlene Burkholder. One sunny May morning, I saw two kingfishers! I assumed they were just flying around and wouldn’t...

The Day a Fox Visited

The Day a Fox Visited

View the May 2023 Nature Friend Magazine Red Fox. Photo © Joshua Lloyd. One summer morning Michaela went outside to feed our mini lop bunnies. She had the feeling that something was watching her,...

The Tachinid Fly Disaster

The Tachinid Fly Disaster

View the May 2023 Nature Friend Magazine Photo © JjGouin/Dreamstime.com. I guess it started when a lady said she had a monarch caterpillar for us along with some milkweed to feed it. Although we...

Snow Day

Snow Day

View the May 2023 Nature Friend Magazine One day last winter, it snowed and covered the yard. Daddy scooped it into a big pile with the backhoe. In the afternoon, our family went out to play. It was...

Two Dozen Crabs

Two Dozen Crabs

View the May 2023 Nature Friend Magazine Land crab. Photo © Andrey Gudkov/Dreamstime.com. The cool Bahamian breezes tickle our faces. It is a relief to have some cool moments after this unusually...

Backcountry Bulls

Backcountry Bulls

View the May 2023 Nature Friend Magazine Bull elk. Photo © Le Thuy Do/Dreamstime.com. The van slowed, then made its way around yet another sharp curve. I heaved a sigh and settled back in my seat....

In Search of Monarchs

In Search of Monarchs

View the May 2023 Nature Friend Magazine They say ignorance is bliss. In some ways, I wish I had never taken that summer evening walk.“Mom, could I head out and look for monarchs again?”I’d waited...

Cool Night, Cozy Blankets, Hot Cocoa, &…

Cool Night, Cozy Blankets, Hot Cocoa, &…

Once upon a cool August evening, our family happened to be camping in a dark, open area near Jasper, Alberta, Canada, where we had an amazing view of the sky.One evening, something caught our dad’s...

You Win?

You Win?

Eastern Bluebird and Tree Swallow. Photo © Dreamstime.com. “Chee! Chee! Chee!” The strident notes eddied through the open living room window and pricked my ears. I dropped The War for Mansoul, which...

Spots of Red

Spots of Red

Common Redpoll. Photo © Dreamstime.com. My sister looked out the window and asked, “Is that a redpoll?”We all ran for the window. By then the birds had all flown away, so we had to go over to...

Tadpoles

Tadpoles

One time when we were cleaning the pond, we saw a tadpole in the mud. We picked it up and put it into a cup with water. We brought it to the house. Then we put it in a fish tank with water, a fake...